The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-08-10
True IIwardness Of Prince Bismarck's In
tsnticns Toward Holland.
Psrfscting Plans to Sweep Down Upsa the
French at . Favorable Moment
The Remains Of N. K,tkoff Conveyed Ia
Moscow for Interment
a French Editor Sentenced to Two
Months imprisonment for Unfairly
wOunding His Antagonist In
Duel.

LONDON, Aug. S.-The sensation caused
during the past few days by reports of
Prince Bismarck's preparations to gobbIe
up Holland has been an alarming one,
but reaction has already set in. 1t is
beginning to be realized that Bismarck is
not in the habit of carrying out his pur-
poses in quite so open handed and undip-
lomatic fashion. Several other
considerations are also advanced
to throw doubt upon the correct
ness of the theory that Ger.
many is on the point OF absorbing the
country of dykes and inland seas. Oae of
these-peThaps the least welghty-is that
Germany has always pursued policy of
autonomy. In forcibly acquiring Alsace-
Lorraine, she made citizens of a foreign
speaking population, it is true, but the
territory had formerly been occupied by a
German-speaking people, and the dialect
there employed is in some portions of the
province almost as much German as that
of any other portion of the empire.
Bismarck himself is what Americans
might call q crank on this subject of
autonomy, and he literally has no use for
any territory as a part of Germany where
tie mother tongue is not spoken, or, at
least, where it can not be substituted for
the vernacular. The regular enforcement
of the use of the German Language in
Poland is the outcome of this tendency,
and IL il is found impossible to Germanize
the people they are ruthlessly expelled, to
be replaced by German colonists. Alsace-
Lorraine is also being re-Germanizsd
as fast as practicable. The an
nexatioD of Holland would graft upon the
German Empire people whom ii would
be Impossible to Germanize for centuries
to come, though they sprang originally
from kindred stock. No man has more in
dividuality about him than the Hollander,
and admitting that the sturdy race could
De conquered or awed into submission by
their powerful neighbor they would not
become amalgamsted with the German peo-
pie. Holland would have to be admins
tered as province, not as q part OF Ger
many. This would Introduce discordant
element in the German empire, whose great
| source of strength to-day lies il the homo
geniety OF her people and the unity of
their aims and efforts. Another consid-
Grafton of more or less importance brought
| forward, is that Bismarck would not have
Holland alone to deal with, but Belgium
as well. The interests of Belgium would
| all lie in helping Holland to maintain in
| dependence, for If Hollond's nationality
disappeared, Belgium would not long be
able to maintain her footing as separate
state. The Belgians may not be to-day as
Cesar called them in his commentaries,
1.-THE bravest fighters in Gaul," but they
still have some capacity in that line, or
had no longer ago than 1880, as their in
dependence shows, they are too well salts
fed with their progress under self-govern-
ment to consent without a struggle to
any serious encroachment upon it.
| There are various other reasons for doubt
ing that Prince Bismarck is engaged in
such q startling enterprise as the
COZ quest of the Netherlands. But
the most convincing theory put forth
10 account for the sirsgetic railways
and military dispots which have 50 sud-
denly loomod up on the Dutch frontier is
| that they are not intenddd to enable Ger
many TO throw an army of 150, 900 men
under the walls of Antwerp at twenty
four hours notice" as the Brussels Gazette
| said yesterday, but to add to the abilities
| of Germany for an attack upon France.
This view is strengthened by the fact that
the place chosen for the concentration of
troops is almost exactly at the point
where the dividing line between Belgium
and Holland strikes the German frontier,
aid is within reach of both Dutch and
Belgian lines of railway, which would not
only enable part of the German hosts to
be massed at Antwerp, but, if necessary,
at tie Hague, and part also at points on
the Franco-Belgian frontier. The troops
sent to the seaports could there be quickly
transferred to German men-of-war and
hurried through the channel TO menace
the poorly defended Northern and Western
| lIOuIleI VI IIhuC6s W4l1c buUoc Scut
through Belgium could cooperate with
others advancing on the Eranco-German
frontier proper in keeping the
French army busy in the eastern
part of the country. a simultaneous at.
tack could therefore be made on three
sides of France at remarkably shcrt notice.
The usefulness Of this arrangement would
be equally great as mode of defence in
case France should be the attacking party.
{ Holland and Belgium, though demurring
as q matter of course, to the passage
through their territory of large bodies of
alien troops, would doubtless yield to an
urgent request on Germany's part for
such accommodation rather than run
the risk of having war forced upon
themselves. They have no particular
affection for France, and 1t would be safer
for them to incur her enmity than that of
their more powerful Eastern neighbor. It
is altogether likely. therefore, that, in es-
tablishing elaborate rendezvous for troops
near Maestricht, Prince Bismarck is sim
ply adding to his precautions against any
possible chance for the success of French
attempts at revenge, or is perfecting plans
to sweep down upen the French at favor.
able moment and place them in hors du
combat in order that Germany need live
no longer in constant apprehension oi
danger from her Gallo foe,